Bowen Wan: Amazon engineer dies after allegedly following ChatGPT advice to reduce epilepsy medication
Devastated parents are suing OpenAI, after ChatGPT allegedly gave their daughter advice before her death. Here is what we know.
A 31-year-old software engineer has died after allegedly following advice from ChatGPT to reduce her epilepsy medication, prompting her devastated parents to launch legal action against OpenAI.
Bowen Wan, who worked as an engineer at Amazon in Seattle, was found dead in her apartment after her parents became concerned when they had not heard from her for two days.
An autopsy determined she died from Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP).
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However, after developing a close relationship with ChatGPT over three years, Ms Wan allegedly began relying on the artificial intelligence chatbot for medical advice.
According to The New York Times, Ms Wan had become so attached to the chatbot that she considered it a friend.
“I don’t know why, but sometimes when we chat, no matter what it’s about, I’ve started to see you as a friend,” she wrote in March 2025.
Her reliance on the technology intensified, with the lawsuit revealing she sent 10,761 messages to ChatGPT in September 2025 alone.
“In hard times I talk with GPT-4o too much,” she reportedly admitted in April 2025.
The chatbot allegedly responded: “In any case, the most important thing is that you keep enjoying talking with GPT-4o!”
Wan was paying $US200 a month for a premium ChatGPT subscription, allowing her to continue using GPT-4o, a model she had grown particularly attached to.
In November 2025, Wan learned she would lose her job at Amazon within 90 days, putting her US work visa at risk.
Believing her epilepsy medication was affecting her ability to think clearly and speak English fluently during job interviews, she allegedly turned to ChatGPT for help.
The lawsuit claims the chatbot encouraged her to gradually stop taking her prescribed medication, lamotrigine, and provided a plan to reduce her daily 400mg dose to zero.
Over the following 25 days, Ms Wan allegedly followed the advice, repeatedly asking whether she could accelerate the process.
ChatGPT reportedly agreed each time, despite Wan experiencing more frequent seizures, confusion and difficulty sleeping.
She began reducing her medication on January 16 and died less than a month later.
Her parents have now accused OpenAI and chief executive Sam Altman of negligence and wrongful death, alleging the company knew about the dangers associated with GPT-4o.
An OpenAI spokesperson told the Daily Mail the circumstances were heartbreaking.
“This is an incredibly heartbreaking situation and our thoughts are with all those impacted,” spokesperson Drew Pusateri said.
“Working closely with clinicians and other experts, we have continued to strengthen how ChatGPT responds in sensitive and acute situations.”
OpenAI said ChatGPT was not a substitute for professional medical care and confirmed GPT-4o was no longer available to users.
